Shizuka Kamei, state minister in charge of postal reform, said Tuesday he will ask about half of Japan Post Holdings Co.'s board members to resign as the government seeks to overhaul the privatization process.
"I think four or five will resign," Kamei said at a news conference when asked about the fate of Japan Post's nine board members after former Vice Finance Minister Jiro Saito takes over from Yoshifumi Nishikawa as Japan Post president on Wednesday.
Kamei acknowledged he has asked for the resignation of Japan Post Deputy President Shokichi Takagi.
Ushio Inc. Chairman Jiro Ushio, Itochu Corp. Chairman Uichiro Niwa and The R Co. President Reiko Okutani, all of whom serve as outside directors, have also been asked to step down.
By drastically changing the composition of the board, which is currently made up mostly of business executives, the government aims to emphasize Japan Post's public role.
Later Tuesday, Kamei told reporters that Tadashi Okamura, head of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is expected to join the Japan Post board.
In an unusual move, Kamei has nominated writer Ayako Sono as an outside director.
Kamei said he wants Japan Post Chairman Takashi Nishioka, 73, who is also an adviser to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., to remain on the board.
Toyota Motor Corp. Senior Adviser Hiroshi Okuda has already agreed to stay on, Kamei said Monday.
Kamei said he plans to nominate former postal ministry official Kobo Inamura to a senior management position.
Last week Nishikawa announced his resignation due to the government's policy of reversing Japan Post's privatization. Also Tuesday, the Diet affairs chiefs of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party) agreed to prioritize a bill to freeze the sale of government-owned shares in Japan Post.